EchoesLocation

I'm currently watching a documentary on Alice Neel. It's pretty great. Not only was she a great artist that encapsulated emotion and feeling in her portraits but her life was wholly interested. Numerous suitors, depression, children and cancer. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in not only art but dreams of notoriety and the human condition.


Yes, Please Mix
I haven't posted a mix here for a while. This is an enjoyable mix for people that let the fall or weather get you down. Hopefully, it'll left some spirits. It sure does mine.

jeremy

David O'Kane
Just because I am usually more in line with painting I'm linking David O'Kane's...painting section. It should be noted and obviously seen that he does much more than just that. Spend some time looking at his oft times strangely disturbing imagery and take note of his usage of directional light and how that impacts and creates a drama in the piece. Well done top to bottom.


Brett Amory
Give Brett Amory's website a glance and read this interview...I've only half done both but you would be fooling yourself if you thought I wasn't gonna finish and spend significant time there.

jeremy

This morning I downloaded the new Mos Def album "The Ecstatic". I've been trying to find it for a couple weeks and finally did. I haven't given it a proper listen but believe me I will. His performance of "Quiet Dog..." on Letterman was powerful. The album version mirrors the intensity of the drums in the live show...I'm happy about that. Anyways, I'll burn it to a disk and give it a real listen in the car. I also grabbed the new Phoenix album "Amadeus Mozart". I'm two tracks in and definitely pleased with it at this point. Obviously, track two is 1901 and that song does something to me.

I happened upon the art of Karen Ann Myers through Leslie's facebook. Her work is very "fashionable" and the palette is sugar sweet. The mixing of patterns in the pieces really creates a jarring dynamic that is at both times pleasurable to view and stirring. The percentage of the figures used in the pieces have morose glares even when doing things that would be considered "pleasant". I'll leave thoughts on that to you. Give the pieces a once over. There is also a section for printmaking and mixed media. I'll look at those right now.

jeremy

Kid Cudi
Man, I've been really checking for this song Day and Nite by this fella Kid Cudi. It's a really simple song in concept and execution but it's so good. The video does me some favors too. He's got a cool style and a really nice cadence to him. I'll have to keep checking for his stuff.
Speaking of videos, with Rap City dead and gone it's a wonder where you could find Hip Hop videos, but to be fair it's not like you could catch quality videos on BET in the last 7 or 8 years (maybe more). Obviously the internet is the only place to go or the music video portion of my On Demand has a handful of decent things to pick from. I was up late two nights ago and I tuned into the more video oriented MTV stations on my digital cable. I was pleased to catch that Kid Cudi video and a few others that caught my attention, namely this video by "one hit wonder" Mims. The video kills me mainly because it's exciting to see artists really pushing that part of the art. Keep it up.

Yardwork
I'd been hearing things about Yardwork via friends from Charlotte and was automatically intrigued. I mean, Charlotte isn't necessarily the hot bed for music though we have some really cool local bands and one pretty big national band (from Concord actually, but who's checking). When I heard my friends buzzing about them I knew there must have been something different about these guys. I bought the CD from Lunchbox on the day I left Charlotte and it's been a constant in my car, studio and at work. I really love it. It's that chanty, everyone on board, uplifting music that is so infectious and fun. Check the myspace for examples. I'm not sure how to purchase the CD online but you could probably send them a message and they will give you careful instructions on how to do so. Give it a shot at least...

Bailey Doogan
I heard Bailey Doogan speak in about 2001 or so when I was in college at UNCC. She had a show up in the downstairs gallery of Rowe that was just amazing. A lot of the paintings and some of the drawing seen on her site are what she showed. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much new work since that point. There is an image on Artnet of an in progress drawing from 2008, so we know she is still working just not flooding the net. So it goes. Either way, her work is really wonderful. The translusence of the skin and unedited relaying of "larger" figures reminds me of Jenny Saville and Kristi Ropeleski. I would assume but could be amiss when I say that those two were influenced by Doogan. I'd say spend some time with her images and look at the details to get a better view of her mastery.

Morgan Blair
Really inspirational illustrations, drawings and photography to be seen at Morgan Blair's portfolio page. I'm always a fiend for the sketch style of illustrations because I tend to overwork things and strive to let loose a little bit. Either way, her work is really nice and diverse. Check it out.

I've been a fan of Common since he was Common "Sense" and he released "Take It Easy". His punchlines and lyrics were fun and the beats were nice. He morphed over his career a few times but ultimately became a "conscious" rapper save a few missteps, who stood up for positivity and poignancy in hip hop. I appreciated that. I'm not gonna dive to deep into what his music means to me because it's not that serious, but I will say, this new cd "Universal Mind Control is 80 percent garbage and 20 percent throwaway. It's a little frustrating after he released two solid albums and seemed to have found a comfort zone with Kanye West behind the boards. I know comfort isn't always the way but quality should be your goal everytime out even if you are trying something new. He has Pharrell Williams producing on a percentage of the album and the two singles I've heard are just clunky, lazy, uneven messes. I hate to be the critic but sometimes I don't understand artists and the music they put out...harsh I know, anyways. At least it's not "Electric Circus" and the song Gladiator is pretty epic.

Sharon Shapiro
Friend & artist Sharon Shapiro has updated her site after some time. There is a complete overhaul and some new work has been added in both the painting and works on paper. The paintings in the Works on Paper section are remarkable in the minimal usage of paint to achieve likenesses. Some of the same qualities from the paintings are apparent but the sketchy loose quality of them and the looks in the children's eyes juxtaposed with the wild hair and appearance makes for some of my favorite type of paintings. Explore the site a bit it is well done and I look forward to the blog.


William Eggleston
The William Eggleston Portfolio site is an extensive look at his projects, exhibition history and life in general. I've spent 5 minutes browsing and could stare at that site for much longer. So thorough and such a talent. What made me look for more on him is this cool interview he did with Harmony Korine. Read it here.

jeremy

(Click the image for larger image)
Having an art show tonight at Hopworks on SE Powell. Across from the McDonalds. The work consists of one brand new piece (pictured) some of the stripper series and some of the catalog ladies. Also in the hidden room there are two paintings from 2006's Deer Show. Any Portlanders reading this should think about coming and if not check my site and drop me a line. Thanks.

Claire Brasil
Rad looking collage-esque pieces that are actually Gouache and graphite on paper. Nice images by Libby Pratt in the links. I wish there was more to see. Either way worth a look.

Not much else? What should I be looking for on the internet today instead of working. All I got on my plate is reading Tracey Emin's wikipedia page...

jeremy

Completed, scanned and yousendit...ed my Andrew Bird to Rachel last night and I've been getting some nice comments on Flickr about it from friends. It's always strange working on a piece for a good bit and getting so intimate with it. You get to a point where you don't want to let it go for fear of it being frowned upon. No matter how many accomplishments and compliments one gets it's still nerve racking and ultimately (if the reception is decent) pleasing to know that people find beauty in what you put your time in. Basically, I'm glad that I'm a pretty good artist and it's afforded me a little bit of supplemental income and it's brought cheer to people.

Illustration and Artwork
If you've never visited my Flickr page a good bit of my illustration work rests there with some studio, gallery and in progress shots from years past. Now since I've gone and made this post "Jeremy Heavy" I'm gonna toss some links to a few people.

I had the pleasure of sharing my residence and time with Denison Witmer this past weekend. He was in town to play a show put on by my roommate Lindsay. I was pretty unfamiliar with his music though the name rang out pretty strong when she mentioned him coming. The show was great from the opening acts (Kellie Schaefer & Day of Lions) to the venue (The Funky Church) and the Denison headlining was just icing on the cake. His performance was sort of a story tellers type of deal and it was awesome getting some insight into his history and the songs make the listening experience so much more enjoyable. His lyrics are not one for trivial turns, all the words are important and none are wasted. Give him a listen and I'll keep kicking myself for not listening earlier.

Douglas Witmer
The day he left we had a chat about art and he clued me into his brother Douglas who also paints and is having a couple major shows in NYC soon. I looked and really enjoyed the paintings on wood that are actual paintings on wood. Disjointed slats, blocks and found wood, painted with blocks of color that off sets the harsh angles of the wood. Check out all the work and judge for yourself. I tend to lean towards figurative, representational work but I'm a fan of his stuff.

jeremy

Chelsea Williams
I've never been one to really lie about my musical tastes and I'm not going to start now. Roomie Ash had a friend stay the night 2 of the past three named Chelsea Williams. She was in town to play for some radio station general managers to try to strengthen her chances of airplay. Kudos to her. I listened to her music, as well as The Henry Clay People who were in town as well but I'll get to them later, and was impressed with the voice but the style is fairly common singer songwriter stuff. I'm writing about her mainly because I was taken by her sweetness. She is a street performer in the LA area and recently started playing shows. I wish her luck. Give her a listen and see what you think.

The Henry Clay People
I unfortunately missed their set at Doug Fir on Sunday because upon listening to them I really liked what I heard and Ash says the live show is tight and fun. They've been playing together for 9 years and I can hear some of that 90's Indie Pavement-esque sound to them and I dig it. I'll have to look more up on them.

The weekend is almost upon me. I have lots to do. Slightly overwhelmed but it's ok. It's good to be busy.

jeremy

Stolen from Fecal Face like a handful of my links are. Thanks guys.
Erin Morrison

jeremy

I put a new painting that I've been working on up on my website for everyone's viewing pleasure. I again wanted to play with some harsh angles played against the "impressionistic" approach to the portraits. The shapes may be a little displaced but I sort of like it. You gotta throw new things out there and see what happens. This is what happened this go round. I think the face needs a little work but I'll address that after i knock out a few commissions.

jeremy

Yann Faucher
Weblog
Flickr
Incredible Flickr contact Yann Faucher has a portfolio site and it's worth a stop in. I favor portrait photography with a candid flare and that's exactly what his work is. I really love it. There are gems in all sections.

Got news yesterday from Martha that I can show some paintings at Hopworks on Powell Blvd. It's a fairly new Brewery, Bar, Restaurant in Portland. The size of the show will allow me to show some bigger pieces and most of the work I've created since I've been here. I'm excited to get some work out in the world. Especially during this season considering the amount of commissions that I've been getting of late. It's nice that people trust me with their images and have faith in my vision as an artist, so thanks.

enough about me...

Simon Henwood
I hadn't checked in on Simon Henwood in some time. Appears to have updated his site, which I'll admit confused me for like 18 hours over the weekend. He's also added tons of new work that has approved on his early formula. The figures are a lot more detailed and the subject matter from series to series it new and inspiring. I really like this guys work. He makes me want to go make something.

Frida Hultcrantz
Frida Hultcrantz has some interesting work. I love the compositions and the vagueness which creates the said interest and intrigue. I haven't done a lot of research on her but there is not a ton of current stuff. I'll try and hunt some down. You should do the same.

jeremy

Tim Laing
Tim Laing has a very diverse illustration portfolio. "Much of my illustration is based on books and short stories." The works mostly appear to be achieved using graphite or charcoal (maybe both) and ink. Really well crafted yet loose illustrations.

Charlie Isoe
has a lot to offer on his site, from paintings, to drawings, to site specific works and studio shots of in progress work. He also lets you in a little on his day to day with some candid shots. I always enjoy seeing that there is more to the artist than just stacks and stacks of drawings. It helps me justify taking a night off sometimes to grab a drink with friends...so thanks for that Charlie. Spend some time there yourself. It's worth it.

Stu Loxley
I'm gonna avoid directly linking any of Stu Loxley's image because I think as I write this he's updating his website with new images so go check it out and refresh often for new works. The scouting images are my favorites as of now but that could change.

jeremy

Now that the commissioner actually has the piece in her possession I can post about it. I finished this commission two weeks ago and shipped it off to North Carolina. It took me a while to be ok with the faces sitting over them 5 minutes at a time but ultimately saying goodbye to them in a cut and run fashion. The elements within the piece from the drips, to the text to the geometric shapes were all new steps for me and I think I love the results. I may want to experiment with the sharp lines of the text and the shapes juxtaposed with the drips and the loose feeling of the figures paint application. I'm not sure what it does for me at the moment but it's definitely doing me favors and I'd like to investigate that some more outside of commissions, perhaps in my next series. Looking at it now maybe some more punches of blue would have been advantageous. Hmmm, next time. I'm working on a personal piece...not personal in that sense, just that it's not for commission nor a series. I want to try some different things with it as well. I'll post more about it in time. If anybody is reading and wants to critique that piece I'm up for it.

Check out these installation shots of some of Kristi Ropeleski's new work. The scale is almost as impressive at the images. I love the title "White Noise" in tandem with the white walls and the stark white backgrounds behind the figures. Great work. Cruise around the site some more and be super impressed.

Unbeknownst to me, Beautiful Decay has a great blog. I'll be checking in often.

jeremy

A few months back...i guess almost a year now. I started a commission for friend and fellow artist Lee Gilmore. He wanted a painting of Jerry Reed, his favorite musician and, consiquentially, a new lust of my own. I posted the step by step on flickr but I suppose it'd be fun to show it on here too. This blog hasn't been very heavy with my own work so here is a chance to check some of that out...if you want to.


This is basically the finished product. Behind the cut is what led to this point.

( The steps!!! )

Chris Scarborough
Check out the works of Chris Scarborough. He took the incredible paintings down but those technical drawings and distorted photographs are doing me favors. Check them out.

jeremy

Mad Men
I'm ankle deep in season one of this show Mad Men. After seeing it pop up on a couple LJ friends pages and hearing it in conversations I figured I should plug in. I watched two episodes last night and I'm already hooked. The characters are interesting, the story lines are engaging, the set design, wardrobe and camera work are all beautiful. I'm surprised I'd never heard of the show before considering the premise and aesthetic of it are both up my alley. I'm gonna hold off on watching episodes on TV because I don't need another addiction but I'm gonna work on these DVD's and wait for the next season to get released. I recommend you get on board too.

jeremy

Robin Williams
I posted about Robin Williams in the past. She also dropped this statement.

"Please note, I am not the actor. Do not contact me with questions or comments regarding the comedian. It is a shame that I have to make this distinction, but please stop emailing me you crazy, crazy people. "

Nathan Lewis has some nice work too.

jeremy